Zach Braff's 'Wish I Was Here' hits its Kickstarter mark

Zack Braff at his New York home with his dog, Roscoe. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Matthew Fleischer

Haters, hate away.

Despite facing criticism in the media and online for allegedly milking cash from fans, actor and director Zach Braff’s Kickstarter campaign to fund his latest film “Wish I Was Here” reached its $2-million fundraising goal over the weekend.

It only took three days.

“I really did not expect this level of support,” Braff said in an interview with The Times last week, as his campaign neared its goal. “It’s extremely gratifying.”

“Wish I Was Here” is up to nearly $2.2 million with 25 days to go in the fundraising campaign.

The film is a follow-up to Braff's 2004 directorial debut "Garden State," in which he starred as a wanna-be young actor who returns to his home town after the death of his mother. Natalie Portman co-starred.

"Wish I Was Here" will star Braff again and cover similar territory — about a struggling 35-year-old actor's attempts to rediscover purpose in his life.

Braff has said on his campaign’s page that he needs at least $2 million to ensure he has creative control over "Wish I Was Here" and over its casting decisions. He said he intends to cast Jim Parsons from “The Big Bang Theory” in the role of his friend — though he gave no specifics about how large that part will be or what it will entail.

If Hollywood has its way, according to Braff, things would go something like this:

“What if instead of your friend, [Parsons] was a sexy pool boy? And what if that sexy pool boy was played by Justin Bieber?”